For my DAD!

As Father's Day approaches, I'd like to honor my dad with a few comments.

My dad was hard-working and always did whatever it took to support our family of 9 kids, born in less than 12 years: 5 boys - 4 girls.   There was always a baby around but he loved kids, so he was thrilled to be blessed with so many.   Money was scarce, but we were never on welfare--because like so many men of his generation he took pride in taking care of his family.

He was the baby of 6 children, born to Sicilian immigrants and did not even speak English until he was 9.   But unlike many of the immigrants of today who want everything handed to them and in many cases even refuse to learn and speak English, he fully recognized the importance of fitting into our society, to the point that he would not even allow us kids to learn Italian........which would have been so easy as we always lived near my Italian grandma Rosa.

My favorite piece of advice from him was:  
"Getting your education is like constructing a building.   You must have a solidly built foundation or the entire building will crumble."

From the first day I started school, no grade other than an A was acceptable.  I'm fortunate because  in the 1950s, he stressed education for his daughters an idea that was definitely ahead of its time because at that time, most women were getting married right out of high school.

Being the oldest, he pushed me so hard that by 27 I had a degree in Accounting and an MBA.  At that time, in 1976, I was somewhat of an oddity as there were not many women in the business world, but I was grateful as my strong educational background gave me a real advantage in finding a job.

There wasn't any problem he couldn't solve and he always had a helping hand for anyone -- family or friends -- who needed his assistance.  I also love that he taught me to always take in "strays" for the holidays.  So, no matter how many family members we might have at a holiday celebration (upwards of 50 with all my relatives), he wanted us to make sure our single friends had somewhere to go.

He was an incredible dancer and even met my mom in a nightclub!   I have many fond memories of our times on the dance floor -- whether in the living room, at a wedding or even in a nightclub.  He's the one who made me a concert junkie as he took me to see Bobby Darin when I was just 11 years old.   We had the most fun though going to see the Ike and Tina Turner Revue at Club Imperial in St. Louis.  We were regulars at the Nightclub.  This was was back in 1961 when I was just 13 and way before they were famous.

Check out this  Luther Vandross Video as it's one of my favorites and reminds me of the many times I danced with my dad.  For all of you who are missing your dad on Father's day, this one's for you!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hJu89k3d_w
  

Don't Stop Thinking about Tomorrow!

 

FLEETWOOD MAC  -  THEN

Fleetwood Mac, one of the biggest bands of the ‘70s, was quickly becoming nothing more than a footnote in Rock History until Bill Clinton decided to use their  anthem “Don’t Stop Thinking about Tomorrow” as his theme song for his 1992 campaign.  

That song, combined with his playing the sax, connected with the younger generation and helped get him elected.  And when President Clinton requested they perform that song at his first inaugural ball; band members (who had not performed together in 10 years), put their egos aside and gave a rousing rendition.  http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/flashback-fleetwood-mac-reunite-for-bill-clintons-inauguration-20130122

Being the “concert junkie” that I am, I just don’t know how I missed seeing them back in the ‘70s; so I was thrilled to hear that all the original members except  Christine McVie had reunited for a tour this year and would be here in Denver at the Pepsi Center.  Tickets were hard to get, but for a 23% premium, I managed to score some on the secondary market – Flash Seats.  http://www.flashseats.com/  

 

Time apart didn’t diminish their onstage chemistry and during that high energy concert, lasting more than 2 hours, they covered most of their big hits.  It was an exciting, nostalgic show, complete with a psychedelic light/slide show reminiscent of the ‘70s concert scene.   They rewarded our enthusiastic audience with 3 encores ending with “Say Goodbye”, a heart-tugging song of lost love.  (Fleetwood Mac fans all know the story of the Nicks/Buckingham breakup…..put to music here.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtxoHDAeJ6s 

I love the song “Don’t Stop Thinking about Tomorrow”  because it’s a song of hope and optimism.

It should be our Baby Boomer’s anthem because that attitude of thinking about tomorrow, planning for the future and not living in our past--no matter how exciting and rewarding it might have been—will keep us young.     Take a few minutes – enjoy the video and read the lyrics.   I hope you find them as inspiring as I do.
http://www.lyricsfreak.com/f/fleetwood+mac/dont+stop_20054276.html

 

2013 Fleetwood Mac touring members

Are you having FUN?

Since I'd last written in February about losing a friend, I have suffered the loss of 3 more friends and 1 cousin in just 4 months!    It's definitely had an impact on me as one of the hardest things I'm dealing with as I get older is "acceptance". 

I just don't want to accept the fact that as I age:

•  time really does seem to move faster (it's already JUNE).
•  I have to deal with even more unexpected medical issues.
•  I can't do things as fast as I did before.
•  I have to deal more frequently with the death of family and friends.

Every time I hear of another death, it's like a cold, hard slap of reality hitting me across the face, reminding me that life really is so short that all I want to do is have more fun before I'm too tired or it's too late.

Only you can define "what's fun" or what activities put a smile on your face -- but I sincerely encourage you to follow Nike's famous slogan and "JUST DO IT".     Don't be sitting in your rocking chair at 80, saying "I wish I had" when you still have the time to build new, exciting memories.

So, STOP right now and plan a fun activity - be it a hike, movie or concert - something you can look forward to!

Single? Retired? Need Money?

WHO DOESN'T?
You've all seen those ads offering you ways to make more money in retirement doing everything from addressing envelopes to phone soliciting.  99% of them are schemes and you actually spend more money than you'll make.

But you might be able to increase your monthly retirement income just by reviewing your Social Security (SS) Benefits!   That simple -- YES!!

As I talk with divorced and widowed retirees (especially single women), I'm finding out that many of them are not getting the maximum SS benefit that they could receive in retirement because they have had to take their SS payment at the earliest eligibility date rather than wait until age 70.

What they are unaware of is that they "might" be eligible to claim benefits from their former or deceased spouse instead when they reach the minimum eligibility age, and hold off collecting under their own work record.   I stress "might" because each case is different and there are certain criteria that have to be met.   The exact wording from the SSA website:

"If you qualify for benefits as a widow, widower or surviving divorced spouse on another record, you may choose to apply for survivors benefits now and delay your retirement benefit until later."
http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/otherthings.htm

In cases of divorce, your EX must be retirement age eligible, BUT the EX does not have to be retired.

To apply you must have a copy of your marriage certificate, divorce papers or proof of death and that other person's SS number.  You can easily start your research online, but I highly recommend you go in person to a SS office for a final determination of your benefits.

Why not take a few minutes and explore the SS website?  Who knows, you just might be one of the lucky ones and find hundreds of dollars in unclaimed benefits waiting for you!

Rock'n'Roll Never Forgets

That's the Bob Seger I fell in love with in the '70s.......the long-haired sexy dude who could turn-you on just with his sensuous voice and seductive words!

I recently saw him at the Pepsi Center, Denver, and just like the rest of us he's changed quite a bit (see picture below), but his voice is as fabulous as ever.

I loved his show as he just doesn't need all the props, lights and other hoopla that some current singers need because, let's face it, their voices aren't that great.  They are more into the 'production' side of a concert; whereas, Seger's voice and a piano or guitar is all he needs.

Seger became an even bigger hit after his song "Seems Like that old time Rock & Roll" made Tom Cruise's career skyrocket in the movie "Risky Business".    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsSVcRYh8dE

He's still on tour so check out his schedule at:  http://www.bobseger.com/

Is a Reverse Mortgage for you?

The FONZ -- we all know and love him from Happy Days fame and now he's back on the small screen trying to sell us on Reverse Mortgages.  

But before you jump out there and use your home as a "piggy bank", do you really know what you're getting into?

A reverse mortgage is a loan for senior homeowners that uses a portion of the home’s equity as collateral. The loan does not have to be repaid until the last surviving homeowner permanently moves out of the property or passes away.

At that time, the estate has approximately 6 months to repay the balance of the reverse mortgage or sell the home to pay off the balance.  All remaining equity is inherited by the estate. The estate is not personally liable if the home sells for less than the balance of the reverse mortgage.

However, an extremely critical factor for married couples is to ensure that BOTH spouses are listed on the reverse mortgage -- otherwise, the surviving spouse can be kicked out of their own home.

Image the trauma of losing your spouse, only to find out that now, in your golden retirement years, you don't even have a place to live?

There's an excellent article in the May 2013 issue of the AARP Bulletin on Mr. Robert Bennett who's in danger of losing his home because when his wife applied for the Reverse Mortgage no one informed her that her husband's name had to be on the loan. 

 Another good article is at:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505146_162-57423099/reverse-mortgages-dont-let-the-fonz-sell-you/

OMG!! I'm on Medicare

As Boomers, we've all experienced catalyst numbers that we just couldn't wait for like sweet 16 when our parents finally let us date and 21 when we could legally drink. We didn't like 30 because then we became part of the establishment.

But 65! Well, that's the magic number for Medicare and whether you want to or not you have to sign up for it. You can enroll 90 days prior to your birthday and become eligible on the 1st day of your birthday month. For me, that was February 1st as I soon turn 65.

You know, there's just some things that make me feel old and using my Medicare card for the first time last Friday sure did. I kept my health insurance, but I still had to name Medicare as the primary.

Parts A, B, C, D............it's like alphabet soup and hard to understand so you need to do a lot of research to determine which parts to enroll in as that will determine your monthly payment.
For additional info on the enrollment process and Medicare, go to http://www.medicare.gov/

Also, AARP has some excellent options for additional health insurance coverage so check them out at www.aarp.org/health/medicare-insurance/

At this stage in our lives, we definitely don't want to be underinsured!

On the Mountain

Most of you know my #1 passion is skiing. Nothing excites me more than flying down the slopes on a clear, sunny Colorado day. So, I'm just thrilled because I'm back in Summit County, CO for several weeks.

In my younger days, I did it all -- tree skiing, the bumps and double-black diamond runs -- with my brothers, sisters and friends. We'd be the first ones on the lifts at 8:30 a.m., the last ones off the mountain, then rush home, clean up, and off to hit the bars and dance all night. I have so many wonderful memories of skiing in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and all over Europe with them.

This year has been a little tougher on me after having had my left knee operated on a year ago and not skiing at all last season. My left knee just hasn't felt quite right nor stable enough for the past year, but I just had to figure out a way to get back on the mountain. So, now I'm skiing with a brace on my left leg. That first run was nerve racking as I was so scared to make the first turn down the slope as it had been 2 years since I skied and I'm dealing with a brace and breaking in new boots! I survived not only the first run but on day 2 I took my first fall of the season and suffered only a jammed thumb.

I'm just so happy to be back on the mountain, though now I arrive about 10:30 and am lucky to last 4 hours. And while I might hit a Happy Hour, no more all night partying for me.

What did you love doing?

Have you given it up just because you've gotten older?

WHY?

Maybe it's time to dust off those tap shoes or start playing tennis again.

I guarantee you that once the passion returns you'll feel much younger!

Below is one of my favorite mountain shots taken in Bachelor Gulch.

DAY 9 - Sunrise Travel

Friday was the last day of our Sunrise Northwest Coast Tour.   It's been so much fun that I hate to see it end!







Our group arrived this morning at Pier 33 for a boat ride to the island and our tour of Alcatraz made infamous by housing notorious prisoners - Al Capone, "Machine Gun" Kelly and the "Birdman of Alcatraz" Robert Stroud.  http://www.alcatraztickets.com/

Today was a historic day as the space shuttle Endeavor was scheduled to fly over San Francisco Bay on its final flight to a Los Angeles Museum.    We had hoped for a glimpse of this once-in-a-lifetime event, so we were thrilled when the flight went right over our tour boat on the way to Alcatraz.   We had a front row seat to history!

After the Alcatraz tour, our group headed to the famous Pier 39 which offers a multitude of stores and restaurants.  With a choice of either tilapia with mango sauce or steak, we all enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Fog Harbor Fish House Restaurant.  http://fogharbor.com/

The restaurant was a wonderful choice as they were well-prepared for our group, seated us in an area with stunning views of the  Pacific ocean and they made it special for some of our travelers as we celebrated their birthdays with candles on their desserts and sang to them.

We spent the afternoon on a bus tour exploring the wonders of San Francisco - Chinatown, Little Italy, Golden Gate Park area and Nob Hill.    Sunrise Tours always offers a "Sunrise Surprise" on each trip.   Our tour guide, Ruth, outdid herself as our Sunrise Surprise was one of the highlights of the trip -- a cable car ride!   It was so exciting as some of my new found friends were much braver than me as they chose to hang off the side of the cable car!  

Later in the day we returned to the Fisherman's Wharf area for dinner and shopping.  http://www.fishermanswharf.org/

Our tour manager, Ruth, did an exceptional job in meeting all our needs.  Our bus driver, Steve, did a fantastic job of safely driving us from Portland to San Francisco and maneuvering that enormous bus.  They made a great team!   This truly was a wonderful experience and I'd highly recommend using Sunrise Tours as overall our hotels and restaurants were high quality and the selected events were fun and appropriate for a Boomer group.

DAY 4 - Sunrise Tours

Today our lively Boomer's group boarded the Discovery for a marine life cruise.  I opted out because I tend to get sea sick and I just didn't want to chance it.   They had a wonderful time on board seeing whales, sea lions and even got to do some crabbing.  When they returned and told me about the 4 ft swells, I was really glad I hadn't been onboard.
 After the cruise, we lunched at the Original Mo's restaurant located on Bay Street in Newport, OR.  It was an authentic seafood restaurant with excellent menu choices.  It's so popular with both locals and tourists that they had to expand with the Annex across the street which has a view of the harbor and boats offloading fresh seafood. Famous diners include Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Henry Fonda and Robert Kennedy who loved the chowder so much that he took a couple of buckets with him back to LA on his campaign tour. P.S. the founder was a highly spirited lady who died in 1992. http://www.moschowder.com/original.php

The last stop on today's packed scheduled was the Newport Oregon Aquarium.  http://aquarium.org/  

   Forbes Traveler, USA Today, 10Best.com and Coastal Living named the Oregon Coast Aquarium among the top ten in the nation.

I've been very impressed with the Sunrise Tours itinerary  for this trip and especially the exceptional lodging and delicious meals.
www.Travelsunrise.com

Who's your support team?

I recently had knee surgery for a torn meniscus in my left kneecap.  It wasn't due to a sudden injury, but just wear and tear from many years of high-impact aerobics and of skiing.   I hate to be admitted to a hospital because once that nurse puts on the hospital bracelet, I feel like I've lost all control.     And, I really hate that helpless feeling during recovery, so what I've found works for me is to have my support team in place prior to "surgery day".   

As a single Boomer Babe, it's really critical that I know who I can count on for the big day.   So, have you thought about it -----  who's the first person you'd call in a medical emergency.  Who can you count on to be with you at the hospital, whose judgement do you trust enough to give a medical power of attorney to and who has the time that they can stay with you for 2 or 3 days during recovery?   

Give yourself some peace of mind by creating a list of at least 3 to 4 people who can help out in case your primary caregiver should have to cancel out at the last minute.  Also, if given the choice of being operated on in the hospital or at a privately owned medical operating center, usually the center is the better choice since there's less chance of getting an infection.

.....and let's face it, sometimes there can be a problem with your hospital stay, so prior to being admitted, review the excellent article in the AARP bulletin on protecting yourself from hospital errors.   Check out their tips list on page 14:

http://www.aarp.org/health/doctors-hospitals/info-03-2012/protect-yourself-from-hospital-errors.html

Please Sign

Let's get him where it hurts.....his bank account!

I can't stand Rush Limbaugh. I think he's nothing more than an arrogant fat ass who somehow got lucky and miraculously developed a loyal lemming-like following.

But this time he's gone too far!

Let's make it known to the advertisers that we will not tolerate such ignorant abuse of our First Amendment rights where a media personality can attack a woman in such a vile manner. It's truly sad that we Boomer women, who thought that the issues of birth control and women's rights were resolved almost 50 years ago, once again have to face the fact that the moral majority want to regain control of our bodies.

All Boomer Babes know exactly what I'm talking about........younger women just don't realize that little by little our society is trying to return us to back alley abortions and attacking birth control is just the start. It makes no sense that most insurance companies will pay for a Viagra prescription, but don't have to cover birth control.

Just like me, I'm sure you've reached your saturation point on the media coverage of the "Rush incident", but please take just a few minutes to sign the petition.

http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/limbaugh_appalling/index2.html?rc=fb_share2

Your Stronger Financial Future

It's 10 pm....DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR MONEY IS?

(Boomers - does that ring a bell with that old commercial?)

Many of us Boomers have lost hope with all the negative press out there about the high unemployment rate, business failures and fear that we may not get next month's social security check!

Often, we live our financial life out of fear, rather than being pro-active in planning and managing for our future. Personally, I do a total financial re-cap every few months using a simple EXCEL spreadsheet because I don't want to wake up one day and wonder where my money went!

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

What are you doing to keep on top of your assets to ensure that your money will out live you?

I found an excellent book - YOUR STRONGER FINANCIAL FUTURE.

It's a quick read with Mr. Egan reviewing concepts in easy-to-understand language. I especially liked STRATEGY 2 as he provides some peace of mind regarding the rumors about Social Security. I also enjoyed STRATEGY 8.

If you're looking to improve your financial knowledge, recommend you consider this book.

Additional info: http://macromike.com/books/

So where have I been?

Dear Readers

First, I'd like to thank you for continued support of my BLOG.

I've been negligent in writing this year as the first few months of 2012 were just too overwhelming for me.

I'm the oldest of 9 kids and within the first 4 weeks of 2012, 4 of us were operated on; one of my sisters was diagnosed with breast cancer and my 55 year-old brother Vic Lumetta, died of a massive heart attack.
He had been ill for a long time so it's a blessing that his suffering ended.

I had knee surgery just 2 days before his death so I was unable to attend his funeral which made it even more difficult to deal with as I feel that funerals and being able to share your grief with loved ones at least brings some closure.

Death should be a wake-up call for those of us left behind.......to make us realize just how short life is......which is especially true for us boomers who have lived more yesterdays than we have tomorrows to look forward to.

While I've been very blessed with many exciting adventures in my lifetime, his death makes me want to squeeze in even more travels and time with loved ones! I hope you too will take the time to visit with your loved ones and special friends while they're still here!

I've always loved the saying: TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY OF THE REST OF MY LIFE!! And today I was really surprised to find out that one of my favorite singers, John Denver wrote a song with that exact title. The words are so appropriate because he also talks about getting old.

When you have a few minutes, check out the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSId3xAMsNg&feature=related

MEDC

MAKE EACH DAY COUNT (MEDC) is my mantra for 2012.
As Boomers, we are in the twilight of our lives. For many of us, that means just biding time -- you know the feeling -- letting the days turn into weeks, then months and you can't even recall the last time you did anything that was remotely fun or challenging?

OR Can you look back on 2011 and recall many adventurous and exciting days? For me, 2011 was a fun-filled year that I'll share with you in some upcoming BLOGS; but what about you? Reminiscing over 2011 are you happy about the way you spent your time? If not, then challenge yourself to make 2012 even better by creating your own plan to MEDC!

You can make your life better and more interesting by taking small steps like forming new friendships or trying out an ethnic restaurant. OR if you're looking for a big challenge then work at becoming proficient at a new sport or learning a foreign language.

Have you created your "Bucket List"? If so, then you can "MEDC" by working on a few of those in 2012. For me, that means taking a cruise to Alaska this year!

YOUR CHALLENGE: Spend a few days this week thinking about everything you'd like to do and see in 2012 so that on 1 Jan 2013 you can fondly look back on an exciting and fun-filled year that you personally created by "making each day count"!

Warning - New Active Adult Communities

It's going on 3 months now that my home has been FOR SALE and frankly, it's been an exhausting process to keep it "show ready". I continually get positive feedback from prospective buyers, with the only complaint being 'no basement'.

The main lesson I've learned from buying in a new Active Adult Community is to make sure your contract doesn't include the clause "subject to builder's discretion, product line make-up of community can change".

In their lingo, 'product line' means the type of homes built in your community - like attached villas versus single family homes. That was my biggest mistake in buying in this community as the builder significantly deviated from the original plan for 4-plex homes with no basements by reducing the number from 200 down to 20! That makes my home without a basement seem like an oddity, when in fact it's a perfect home for a single Boomer or snowbird couple.

So, as many of my friends here in Colorado have thanked me for being able to learn from my mistake....you can too! I'd highly recommend buying a re-sale property in a completely sold out community. While buying in a built out subdivision, you might pay a little more than if you got in on the ground floor; at least you'll know what the completed project looks like and can better determine what homes in that area will resell the quickest.

BAJA SUR, MEX

If you want sun and adventure in your retirement destination, then check out Baja Sur, Mexico. Tourism is booming with the area concentrating on attracting more people from the East Coast to check it out as a permanent retirement spot.

Due to its unique position as the second largest port for cruise ships, Los Cabos plans to offer a wide variety of boating and golf activities for residents and tourists alike. According to ex-pats, they love the fact that the communities south of the border, such as La Mission, offer retirees affordable medical and health care, with both office visits and prescriptions being less expensive.

Recently, 70 U.S. expats now living in Baja met at the Rosarito Beach Hotel to discuss ways to promote Baja as many have been Americans are concerned about violence. Truth is that violence occurs only in about 5% of the country and not in Baja.
http://www.sandiegoreader.com/weblogs/news-ticker/2011/jun/15/expats-look-to-improve-image-of-baja/

In addition to the vibrant social life with options ranging from a local Theatre Guild to concerts, golf resorts, and a constant variety of festivals and rodeos. For the more active sportsmen, Baja also has some of the best surfing and fishing in the world and marinas to support their hobbies.
For additional info about the area check out: http://www.marinas.fonatur.gob.mx/en/index_rutas.asp

CONCERT JUNKIE

Thank God - I don't have many addictions as I managed to avoid the drug-induced haze of the '60s (too busy studying) and I have never even smoked one cigarette!

BUT, I admit it - I'm a "concert junkie".

My habit started way back in 1956 when I was 8 years old and my older cousins - Roslyn, Lydia & Ginny - took me to my first concert to see Elvis in St. Louis. I wasn't quite sure what all the screaming was about but I loved the music.

After that, I couldn't stop -- there was Bobby Darin, Paul Anka, the Supremes, Dick Clark Caravan of Stars, Ike & Tina, Rod Stewart, Sonny & Cher. I'm so lucky as I've seen the best rockers and the list goes on. BUT, when Elvis died I had to find a new rock idol and thanks to my sister Ginny, it's definitely Bon Jovi.

You might think I'm crazy because I've waited in line over 8 hours just to get into a Bon Jovi concert in Mannheim Germany; then left because the crowd was totally out of control and I feared getting killed in the stampede to the stage!

I even created a 10 minute video to try and win a Bon Jovi European Tour Manager's contest which of course I lost to a much younger chick. In October 2007, Ginny and I flew to New Jersey to see him open the Staples Center there.

So, it certainly didn't seem unreasonable when she asked me to fly to St. Louis in May to see his last USA 2011 tour date. See, he hadn't been in St. Louis in more than 10 years and the die-hard fans started a viral petition - emails, Facebook, Twitter - you name it. They took to the INTERNET and virtually demanded a Bon Jovi concert.

Even without Richie Sambora, it was one of my top 5 concerts as I think the band tried even harder to give a great concert! The visual effects were taken to another dimension with a jumbo tron screen that broke into smaller sections, then scrolled around to the back of the stage to create another performance venue for him. He needed a second stage - because those St. Louis fans came through -- the entire arena --even the area behind the stage was sold out!!

Check it out for yourself:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSXKKQNFLHI&feature=related

Rock of Ages

Baby Boomers like me rocked to the oldies but goodies of the '50s and '60s, but I also love the music of Journey and Bon Jovi born of the pop-metal music decade of the '80s.

Last night I saw Rock of Ages at the Buell Theater. It's a high-energy, arena worthy musical set in Hollywood with a skeleton-thin plot revolving around the romance of Drew & Sherrie.

Constantine Maroulis, former American Idol contestant, plays the lead of Drew. He owned it --easily shifting his character's personality from the cock-sure attitude of a rock star to a love-sick puppy dog when rebuffed by Sherrie.

But the music is the primary character of the play. From the minute the cast hits the stage, the music transports you to that feel-good era best portrayed by Journey's song, "Don't Stop Believing", made popular again by the show - GLEE. Those lyrics offer hope to anyone who has ever been in love or is willing to take that risk again. Check out the best version by Journey at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcjzHMhBtf0&feature=relmfu

So if you love the concert scene, then you're in for a fabulous trip down Nostalgia Lane, with great hits like "Sherrie", "Harden my Heart" & "I Want to Know What Love Is.

For ticket info: http://www.rockofagesmusical.com/tickets-2/

Can you let go?

STUFF!

We all have stuff we love - books, our favorite CDs, clothes and furniture. If you're a Boomer, then you've spent a lifetime accumulating STUFF, but can you ever let it go? And when does it become more of a burden than a joy?

I'm embarking on a new life adventure requiring me to get rid of most of what I currently own. So, I decided to start with my favorite piece of furniture - a very unique, Drexel Heritage lingere chest.

I bought it new in 1977 in St. Louis, got it in the divorce, moved it to Germany and finally Denver. I just love that piece so I decided that it had to be the first to go --- sorta symbolic of me really being able to let go of my favorite things.

I was shocked to find 2 websites devoted to the sale of Drexel Heritage furniture and within 2 hours received an email from a lady living in New Jersey who had been looking for that particular piece for over 15 years! After some negotiating, we agreed on a price and frankly, it cost her more to ship it to NJ than she paid me. I really hated to see it go; but hey, if I can sell that; then the rest can easily go. But, I'm thrilled it's found a new home.

What are you holding on to?

Whether it's an emotion, a friendship that's run it's course or a thing..........you need to consider if it's holding you back as you plan for your future.